Page 31 of Worth the Fall

“And you used to not be so annoying.”

“All this fire from you and I can’t remember doing anything wrong.”

There’s a quick flash of something across her expression but between the distance and how fast it disappears, I can’t read what it means.

But it’s enough to know my comment got to her.

We stare at each other, both of us stubborn enough that we’d hold the line until someone looked away. While it might be fun to push her buttons, I know it isn’t going to get me anywhere. That I know for certain.

“Is this where you jump from?” I jut my chin to the tarmac behind her.

“What’s that?” she asks as she takes a step closer and furrows her brow.

“The other night at Desi’s house, a bunch of you were talking about skydiving.”

“And your point is?”

It takes everything I have not to tell her to stop when she begins to put her arms through the sleeves of her flight suit and zip it up. There’s no need to cover up the perfection I was just admiring. And when I meet her eyes again, her knowing expression says I’ve been caught checking her out.

Can she blame me?

“Well?” she prompts drawing me back to our conversation.

“I assumed you guys are on a dive team or something.”

She cocks her head to the side and chews on the inside of her cheek. “What do you want, Grant? You weren’t just on a drive, and you just didn’t happen to end up here . . . so what is it specifically that you want?”

Good question. It’s one I need to ask myself.

I take a few steps toward her as she does the same to me until we’re standing a few feet apart on the desolate tarmac.

“I’m not sure,” I murmur, more to myself than to her, wishing she’d take those damn aviator sunglasses off so I could see her eyes. At least then I might have a clue as to what’s running through that mind of hers.

“That’s helpful. I’m sure the chief taught you that if you don’t know what you want, there’s no way you can get it . . . so, uh, good luck figuring it out. Like I said, the airstrip is closed.” She lifts her eyebrows and turns as if to walk away.

My hand is on her arm in a flash. “What is your problem?” I snarl the words, and fuck if this woman can’t rile me in a flash.

Why the hell am I chasing a ghost? Why do I even care?

She jerks her arm from my grasp but doesn’t walk away. At least she’s not running. “You. You’re the problem.”

“Why’s that? What’s so wrong with being friends?”

“I have plenty of friends, Grant.”

“Not like me, you don’t.”

“Charming.” She rolls her eyes and shakes her head. “Arrogance gets you nowhere with me.”

“What is it, Em? What is it about me that irritates you so much? What did I do that was so wrong that when you saw me on the Fourth you already figured out you hated me?” I step into her, my thoughts flying and temper flaring even though I swore I was going to try to calm the situation.

“I’m not irritated,” she sneers.

“Then what do you call it?”

“Hostile.” She gives me a ghost of a smile.

“I call it being defensive.” That one hit home. For a split second, her expression falls before she reins in whatever nerve I’ve hit.